Tricks to making car batteries last a lot longer?

[HTSS_TR]

For people in the south without cold winter, engine compartment is always hot after 10-15 minutes drive, the battery cover/insulation is a good idea.

My LS400 came with plastic battery insulation, the E430 has battery under rear seat, but the S2000 battery near the fire-wall without battery insulation, I may add some insulation to see if it will help.

 

[tonycarguy]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I got 7 years on a Panasonic battery OEM Honda and replaced it with a Duralast Gold. As long as you drive the car often you should have no problems.


It depends on climate. In a place like Las Vegas where it's 90-110F for 100+ days each year, there's nothing you can do to make a battery last 7 years

 

[HerrStig]

I think if I lived in the south, (and hope to) I'd try to "engineer" a big 12V computer cooling fan on a timer to blow air at the battery for a period after the ignition was turned off. Remember, on that technowonder the Volt, they Air Condition the battery. Electric cars are soooooo simple, right?

 

[bigmike]

Aside from my awful experiences with Interstate batteries, most other brands I've used last at least 5 years in my climate. Not sure if heat really is a problem or if I'm lucky.

 

[Boss302fan]

I keep BatteryMinders Plus chargers on all my classic car batteries. 15 years plus is what I usually get out of my batteries and some I currently have are older then that...

They also have a few links about effects temperatures, etc have on batteries.

 

[thr_wedge]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
I think if I lived in the south, (and hope to) I'd try to "engineer" a big 12V computer cooling fan on a timer to blow air at the battery for a period after the ignition was turned off. Remember, on that technowonder the Volt, they Air Condition the battery. Electric cars are soooooo simple, right?


There is no cool air to draw with this fan. Example: Austin Texas had 90 days over 100F. It would have been 90 days in a row, but there was one 99F day in there. Hottest day was 112F. It was over 90 I think for 120 days, I can't find the stat right now. The engine bays are already well over 100F even before the car is turned on in the afternoon. There were some bad days where the lows were in the mid 80s.

 

[3311]

Originally Posted By: 07Wolfie
Large industrial flooded batteries can be in service for 25 years or more, and industry does a couple of things to make them last that long. Mostly it's careful maintenance of the connections and the water level, careful cell voltage monitoring, and regular equalizing charges. Of course, those battery systems are built differently than automotive batteries, but the lead-acid fundamentals still apply. Cell killers are deep discharges, keeping a cell discharged for long periods, heat, and dryout. If you avoid those conditions as much as possible, I'd imagine that's about the best you can do with a car battery.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: 07Wolfie
Large industrial flooded batteries can be in service for 25 years or more, and industry does a couple of things to make them last that long. Mostly it's careful maintenance of the connections and the water level, careful cell voltage monitoring, and regular equalizing charges. Of course, those battery systems are built differently than automotive batteries, but the lead-acid fundamentals still apply. Cell killers are deep discharges, keeping a cell discharged for long periods, heat, and dryout. If you avoid those conditions as much as possible, I'd imagine that's about the best you can do with a car battery.


Exactly. Those commercial cells are kept on float charge, and seldomly exercised. Lifetime on float can be extremely long. In a car, it gets charged a little, then it sits (and self-discharges a little), then it gets pummeled with current (100's of amps), then it is recharged, and so on.

All that with being hot under the hood? Problem.

Doubt an additive would help, the depth of alloying I doubt would be sufficient to really change anything.


The stationary batteries you two are talking about are of significantly different construction then Industrial/Motive Power/Forklift. Stationary batteries use different alloys in their grid construction and use different type of lead oxides for their paste. They specifically designed to remain float service, serve as UPS back batteries and are almost always in a climate controlled battery room. Completely different from Industrial or SLI(starting, lighting & ignition).

No lead acid Industrial battery ever made has lasted 25+ years in service. 7-10 years max, less nowadays.

Railroad batteries are unitized Industrial/Motive Power/Forklift batteries.
With Industrial batteries the most important maintenance aspects for longest life possible are:
Maintaining proper water/electrolyte levels
Properly discharging (no more than %80 of rated 6 hour capacity)
Properly recharging, equalizing and allowing cool down.
Keeping them clean
Using an adequately sized battery.
Smooth floors/cracks/potholes

With regard to the the op's question in no particular order:
HEAT - Not much you can about it unless you relocate battery(DON'T RELOCATE TO TRUNK - 2%+ Hydrogen gas concentration is extremely explosive!)
VIBRATION - Maybe add a rubber pad under the battery to absorb any vibration.
Keep case and terminals clean - ALL batteries vent, even sealed ones, you will accumulate a layer of sulfuric acid which will lead to corrosion.
ELECTROLYTE LEVELS - If it's not sealed check water levels periodically, If need be add just enough distilled water to cover the plates.
Reducing or turning off car lighting after you exit the vehicle is IMO important as well.
USE THE BIGGEST, HIGHEST CAPACITY AND HEAVIEST BATTERY YOU CAN!
AVOID SEALED, RADIAL etc..... Flooded flat plate batteries are unparalleled in life, economy and capacity!
AVOID ANY HIGH GRAVITY BATTERY

Don't charge unnecessarily! Overcharging an automotive battery will lead to accelerated grid corrosion, accelerated loss of active materiel due to shedding and significantly reduced life. A properly working automotive charging system car is the best thing you can use charge and maintain your battery.

Never add anything other than clean water to a battery! If a fully charged automotive battery needs acid, replace the battery ASAP!

ALL BATTERY ADDITIVES ARE JUNK THAT WILL, IF YOUR LUCKY, ONLY DO NOTHING!



Sorry for the rambling nature of the post I was just typing as it came to me.

P.S. If anyone needs any Industrial Batteries let me know!

 

[3311]

When I said avoid sealed I meant sealed AGM(Active Glass Mate) or GEL. Both technologies are borrowed from UPS and cannot hold up the demands of automotive, deep cycle or industrial applications. They are laughably over priced as well.

We usually get about a 100k miles out my batteries an the only thing I do is make sure the lights are set to turn off when I leave the car.

 

[DreamerGT]

Originally Posted By: thr_wedge
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
I think if I lived in the south, (and hope to) I'd try to "engineer" a big 12V computer cooling fan on a timer to blow air at the battery for a period after the ignition was turned off. Remember, on that technowonder the Volt, they Air Condition the battery. Electric cars are soooooo simple, right?


There is no cool air to draw with this fan. Example: Austin Texas had 90 days over 100F. It would have been 90 days in a row, but there was one 99F day in there. Hottest day was 112F. It was over 90 I think for 120 days, I can't find the stat right now. The engine bays are already well over 100F even before the car is turned on in the afternoon. There were some bad days where the lows were in the mid 80s.


ahh yes, good times(now really I hated it haha)